The government has set the target for wheat procurement in the next marketing season starting Apr 1 at 32.0 mln tn, down from the aim of 33.0 mln tn the previous season. The overall wheat procurement in the previous season was at 30.8 mln tn. The reduction in wheat procurement target is despite the government’s expectations of a bumper crop in 2017-18 (Jul-Jun). According to the farm ministry, wheat production in 2016-17 was at a record high of 98.4 mln tn. The country’s wheat acreage fell over 5% this year as higher output kept prices subdued for the last one year and caused farmers to switch to other profitable crops such as chana.